Once and Again
by VisionGirl
Summary: (Formerly Never too Far Away) Set in the future, Angel explains to his new crew about his first family, and the woman he loved. (Time travel fic) Chapter 1 updated, and Chapter 2 Up!
1. Chapter 1

Title: Once and Again

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Set in the future, Angel explains to his newest crew about his family, and the woman he loved.

A/N: For the purposes of this fic, Cordy's memory is in tact. Also, I wrote of a huge apocalyptic event. It has nothing to do with the vision Lorne sees. This is purely from my mind.

She wasn't quite sure she wanted to do this. Not when he was in a mood like this. Not now. But what choice did she have? He was her friend. She had to be there for him... even when he was brooding. She breathed in deeply and tried to regain courage. Then, Talon knocked on his door softly. Hoping he didn't hear it, but knowing he did, she waited. After a minute of no response, she turned to leave.

"Talon."

She turned when she heard his voice. "Angel. I... I just came to see if there was anything I could get for you."

"No." He said nothing more as he began to shut his bedroom door.

"Angel, wait." He stopped and looked at her expectantly. "I. I just wanted to say... you should come down. Visit. Joseph and Dave are downstairs, waiting. We brought gifts for you. And a cake... I know you don't eat, but hey, just humor us? It's not everyday you turn 260, right?" Talon flashed a smile. "Come on, old man, times wasting away! Before you know it you'll be coming up on 300! Don't want to miss out on your childhood, do you?"

Angel smiled a little and stepped out of his room and into the hallway. Talon smiled wider as she led him down into the lobby of the Hyperion. "I got him!" She said to her two companions sitting on the couch.

"Angel." David said as he stood to greet them. "About time."

Angel nodded at him and cast a glance at Joseph, Talon's brother. He wasn't quite sure when exactly they had become a part of his team, but somewhere along the line they just stopped going home and began living with him in the hotel. He had met Talon a few years ago when he rescued her from a Trayer demon. Talon and him had bonded, and eventually she started bringing her older brother, Joseph with her. David was another lost soul he had saved along the way. After only 14 years in Los Angeles, there had been so many. He began to lose count. They were good people. Young. Maybe a little too young to be thrown into such a dangerous world... Talon had just reached adulthood at 19, and Dave and Joseph both were 23.

"So!" Joseph said, "How about blowing out the candles? Wishing for a long and happy life?"

"Maybe you could wish for a new entertainment system." A voice said from the office. Lorne made his way into the lobby. The only one who knew the real Angel. "Because, Angelcakes, your ten year old set isn't going to cut it."

"'Morning, Lorne." Talon smiled.

"Morning, sweetums. So, have I missed anything?"

"Angel was about to make a wish." Talon said happily. Angel forced a smile and Talon's face fell. "Look. I don't know why you're like this on your birthday. I wish you would just open up to us. Come on, Angel. It's been 3 years. Don't you trust us?"

"Talon." David said, clearly hinting that she was crossing a line.

"No." Angel said, "It's ok. It's just this time of year is hard without them."

"Your family. The other team." Talon said, sympathy evident in her voice.

Lorne's eyes looked to the ground. He, too, had a hard time remembering them.

"It's still hard." Angel cleared his throat. "I'm going to go into the office. And work on... something." Angel smiled forcefully and made a quick exit.

"He's impossible!" Talon muttered, then looked to Lorne. "Couldn't you explain it to us? I don't understand why he's like this, after so long!"

Lorne smiled weakly. "It's not my story to tell, honey. I better go. I've got clients to listen to." Lorne made a quick exit without so much as a goodbye.

"Did you have to bring it up?" David said to Talon, angrily.

"I just want him to open up!" Talon defended. "I feel like we're giving him all of us but we only get to see a little of him." Dave and Joseph said nothing. "I'm going to find something to do. Apparently, I'm doing no good down here." Talon made her way back upstairs. A moment later, they heard her door slam.

Another great birthday bash.

*****

If he found her, he would most definitely kill her. Maybe not literally... but still, that broody stare was enough to make anyone wish they were dead. Talon checked her watch. Way past midnight. She had made her way to the fourth floor. Usually, no one came up here. Angel slept on the third floor, and she, David, and Joseph slept on the second. No one came to the fourth floor. But now she understood why. Boxes cluttered the hallway. Not just lots of boxes, but hundreds of boxes. Boxes marked CONNOR and WES and GUNS... wait, no, not GUNS. GUNN. A couple had FRED. But at the end of the hallway, a few boxes seemed to be a little more worn than the others. Like they had been opened and closed more. CORDY was written in a beautiful hand that was distinctively Angel's. Talon checked over her shoulder before opening the box that lay on top. Pictures. So many pictures. Hundreds and thousands of pictures. Angel, holding a beautiful baby. A group of teenagers who had just graduated. A pretty blonde and a friendly looking red-head. A dorky boy and a brunette with long hair. On the back of the picture, SCOOBIES had been written in a woman's hand. But one picture in general held Talon's attention. Angel, and the brunette, who now had blonde highlights, trading the baby off in a comfortable way that only parents could manage.

Talon checked her watch again. Quarter after three! She had been looking at pictures for three hours! And she wasn't even half way through the first box. Talon felt a little cheated. The Angel in these pictures was smiley. Goofy, almost. And he seemed so at home with the young people around him. Playing video games with a bald black man, and looking in books with a charming man with glasses. And a timid looking girl, who seemed to look at him like her protector. She didn't find it fair that these people got such a wonderful Angel, while she had to struggle to communicate with this one.

"What are you doing?"

Talon jumped a foot in the air. "Geez, Angel!" She squealed. Then realized she had been caught red handed. "I... I was just..."

Angel smiled and knelt down next to her. "These are some of my favorites." He said, motioning to the few pictures Talon had in her lap.

"They're... they look very nice."

"Maybe it was just a good camera."

"I mean the people... they seem..."

"They were."

"Who's this?" Talon showed him the picture with the baby.

"That... is my son. Connor."

"You have a son?"

"Had. He would be about 26 now. I haven't seen him in about five years."

"I'm sorry. And what about..."

"Cordy?" Talon nodded as Angel took the picture from her. "She was my Seer... Cordelia was... very special."

"Connors mom?"

"In some ways. She was my first friend when I moved here. To L.A., I mean. We knew each other back in Sunnydale, too. But we didn't really talk. I knew her through the slayer. She came here with me... and she became my best friend. More than that, really."

Talon moved towards Angel a little and looked at the picture over his shoulder. "Will you tell me?"

"Pardon?"

"Tell me the story, Angel. Everything. I want to know all about you. You know everything about me."

Angel sighed. "Ok." He said, "I'll tell you. At breakfast. But go to sleep now. It's late."

Talon checked her watch. "Naw, you've got me set to vampire time. I still have four hours before it's time for bed." Angel smiled and stood up. "See you over french toast? You know we love your french toast."

"Sure." Angel replied as he began to walk away. "But don't complain to me that they go straight to your hips."

Talon watched her boss and friend walk away. Finally, she would know the secrets of Angel.

*****

"Come on, you promised!"

Angel smiled as he put the slices of toast onto Talon's plate. "I know, I know. I'm just waiting for David."

"Oh, who cares about him." Joseph said eagerly, "I'm dying to know everything."

"Alright, I'm here." David said groggily as he sat down at the table. "What's with the big meeting?"

"Shh!" Talon hissed, "Angel's going to tell us his story. We told him ours, and now it's his turn, right?"

Angel smiled and nodded as he sat down at the table. "Ok. Here goes." And he told them everything... of Darla and gypsies, Whistler and Sunnydale. Buffy and the Scoobies, The Master and the Ascension, Graduation, Russell Winters, Doyle, the Scourge, The Rouge Demon Hunter, Faith, Vocah, Darla's return and his descent into darkness. Gunn, Fred, Cordelia and her visions. Connor's birth and his departure. Holtz, his trip to the sea, and Cordelia's disappearance and her return.

"Wow." Talon said after almost three hours of his story. "Well, what happened then?"

"What do you mean?" David asked, "He just told us everything."

"Well, I don't mean to open wounds... but... the crew. Your family, how did they...?"

Angel nodded his understanding. "They died saving the world."

Flashback

Everyone was afraid. Angel could tell that much. They made a good job of not showing it. Cordelia and Fred, talking over a magazine. Lorne hovered over them, pretending to not be interested in the latest fall trends. Wesley was gushing over another ancient text and Gunn played Mario Cart. But he could smell it. Taste it. They were dreading the call. The call that would set everything into motion. Once the council called and said they had Faith, that was when it would happen. They would retrieve Faith, and then make their way to the park a few miles away, were a demon named Rah'jah was preparing to open a portal and swallow the world. Like they haven't heard that one before. The group would need all the help they could get, so the council agreed to release Faith for the battle. Wesley had agreed to rejoin the team for the time being, to help in everyway he could. Angel didn't even bother to call Buffy. He knew that there was just as much action at the Hellmouth, and there was no reason to leave it unprotected at such a dangerous time.

"What do you think would happen?" Fred asked, finally. "If we don't stop him, I mean."

"We don't need to worry about that." Wesley said, "We're going to stop him."

"I want to help."

All eyes turned to the doorway of the hotel. Connor stood by the steps, an axe in his hand.

"Don't you think you helped enough?" Fred asked bitterly.

"Fred." Cordelia said quietly, trying to calm her down.

"He's dangerous. He tried to kill Angel, how do we know he won't-"

Fred was cut short by the ringing phone. Connor was quickly forgotten as everybody turned to look at it. Wesley slowly picked it up.

"She's on her way in." *click*

Wes said nothing as he set the phone back down.

"Well, I guess it's time to get to it, huh?" Faith said as she stepped inside the hotel.

"Hello, Faith." Angel said calmly as he walked to greet her. "Everything go ok?"

"Other than being busted out of jail by the same people who tried to kill me not two years ago, it was alright."

"Ironic." Wesley said, "Almost as ironic as working with someone who tortured you not two years ago."

"Wesley." Faith made her way across the room to him. "I can't take that back. You and I both know that. I guess we both have something in common now." Wesley said nothing as he handed her a sword. "But I am sorry."

Cordelia stood and stretched. "So. Is this it? Time to rush head on into battle?"

"Before we do this-" Angel started.

"No." Cordelia said as she picked up her favorite sword. The one she used for training with Angel. "Don't say you love us. Don't say you are proud of us. Just don't Angel, because we're all going to get out of this ok. You'll see."

*****

God there was so much blood. The smell of it made Angel sick. Blood everywhere. Some of it belonged to Rah'jah, but most of it was the blood of his comrades. His family. Ahead of him, Fred lay in a twisted heap, where some of Rah'jah's minions had tossed her. She hadn't gotten back up. Wesley lay on the ground beside her, stabbed through the chest. A few yards from them, Gunn lay with a twisted neck. Angel felt so sick.

"Angel?"

Angel turned to see Faith. She was covered in blood. Most of it Rah'jah's. She had been the one to deliver the final blow. He walked to her and wrapped her in his arms.

"They're gone, aren't they?" She whispered. She hadn't even known them that well and she felt a terrible loss. She could only imagine Angel's pain.

"Yeah. They're gone..." Angel lifted his head suddenly and turned to look around the park. "Where is Cordelia?"

Faith stepped back from Angel and looked around as well. "She was with Connor last I saw. They couldn't have gotten far."

Angel nodded and began walking in the opposite direction. "We have to find her, she may be hurt. I can't lose another member of my family." Faith and Angel began walking towards the far end of the park. As they were ready to turn and check the other side, Angel finally saw what he was looking for. Connor sat on the ground, his head in his hands. Angel and Faith ran towards him. "Connor!" Angel said as he reached his side. Then he noticed her. Cordelia lay in front of him. Bloodied and beaten. A large gash sliced through her chest, probably deep enough to ruin a lung.

"Some demons..." Connor said softly. "They ambushed us."

Faith kneeled down beside Cordelia's body. "She's still alive. Her pulse is weak. She's lost a lot of blood, we have to get her to a hospital." Angel kneeled beside her and handed her the cell phone. She quickly dialed 911. Faith said she and her friends had been jumped by a group of gang-banger teenagers, and they needed assistance quickly. After a minute longer, she snapped the phone shut.

"The others? Where are they?" Connor asked.

Angel looked away. "They... they didn't make it." He whispered.

"What?" Connor asked in disbelief. "No. They had to of. They were trained. Demon hunters. They had to of made it!" Faith stood and placed a hand on his shoulder but he jerked away. "I'm going to go to them." He started to walk away. Faith looked at Angel for a moment, and he nodded. She went after Connor.

Angel lay a hand on Cordelia's forehead. "Help is coming, Cordy."

"Angel?"

"Cordelia?" Angel brought his ear to Cordelia's mouth to hear her better. "You can-"

"I lied, Angel. I said... I said everything was going to be ok. I'm sorry."

Angel grabbed her hand. "No. We're going to get you help."

"The others... they're gone, aren't they?" Angel didn't reply. Cordelia tried to sigh, but ended up coughing on her blood. "Our whole family, wiped out. But the moon does look beautiful from my point of view. I wish... you could see it the way I do now."

"Cordelia-"

"I really should go now. They're waiting for me. The whole team. But first, thank you."

"For what?"

"Taking me in. Teaching me, loving me. Being you. The list goes on. Everything good that is in me, I got from you. Goodbye, Angel. See you when you get there. And you will, too. I know you w-will."

"Cordelia, just hold on a little bit longer." Angel whispered, fighting tears. "Just a little... Cordy? Cor?" Tears spilled over Angel's eyes as he realized she wasn't there anymore.

"The paramedics are... here" Faith slowly made her way to Angel's side. She kneeled down and brushed hair off Cordy's face. "I never thought Queen C would go down saving the world." She admitted. "But I guess she proved a lot of us wrong. Angel nodded but said nothing. Faith stood up. "I'll take care of the medics." She lay a hand on Angel's shoulder. "Be proud, Angel. She went as a hero. And you know she's up there bragging to all the other angel's that she was a part of the crew that saved the world. She's proud as hell, you know she is."

*****

Nobody said anything for a long while. David and Joseph sat side by side in stoic silence. Finally, Angel stood.

"So there's my story." He said. "After that, Lorne, Faith and I kept the business running. Connor kind of headed off on his own. He stopped by to visit every now and then. Came to the rescue when we needed it. He and Faith kind of butted heads quite a few times, but I think, honestly, he looked up to her. He stopped coming round about 5 years ago. He's around L.A. somewhere. I see him once in a while. Faith is ok. I talk to her sometimes. About 4 years ago, we went our separate ways. She left for England, to make amends with the council. The Scoobies are all doing fine, as well. I don't really keep up with them. If we weren't in separate worlds then, we sure are now... Of course, there are some more players... but they... they were the important ones." He looked around for a moment, then said, "I'm going into the office. Talon, you'll handle the desk this morning?" Talon just nodded as he walked out of the kitchen.

*****

"Welcome to Angel-" Talon stopped short as she saw the visitor. "Oh. Carla."

Carla smiled coolly at Talon's rude greeting. The young Wolfram and Hart lawyer placed her briefcase on the floor. "I need to speak to Angel." She said simply.

"Angel's bu-"

"What do you want, Carla?" Angel said as he stepped into the lobby.

Carla smiled at him. "We have a problem."

"Good for you. You know where the door is, right?"

"A problem that you should have taken care of 10 years ago."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... Rah'jah is back, Angel. And he's picking up right where he left off."


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Once and Again

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Set in the future, Angel explains to his newest crew about his family, and the woman he loved.

A/N: Ok, so it was brought to my attention that I seem to have forgotten Lorne, and I did, I'm sorry. :-) So I rewrote a few parts in the first chapter, to try and incorporate Lorne into the story. And now, I'm glad I did, as he plays such a huge role in this chapter. I also added just a few more lines at the end of Angel's story. Not much, just a little more to try and explain what happened to Faith and Connor afterwards. So if you haven't seen the changes, go back and check 'em out. Thanks to those who replied, and a special thanks to solarphoenix for bringing Lorne, or lack thereof, to my attention. And finally, an apology to everyone for my lack of updating. I have no excuses other than being too lazy to open the document and get to work. Sorry.

Angel stood quiet for a long while. Then, "No. There just isn't anyway. He died. I know he died, my family was killed trying to defeat him."

Carla smiled--or was that a grimace? "He's back, Angel. And while we at Wolfram and Hart are all about mayhem, we're not too keen on the world ending."

"I trust you can see yourself out?" Angel didn't look amused as he turned and began walking towards his office again.

"If only it were that easy, Angel." Carla called after him. "Rah'jah is opening a portal. But I'm sure you know what he plans to do. Our clients are pouring in from every direction, either looking to stop him or brag about helping him. He isn't just looking to opening hell and have a little party. He's going to take the entire world down. I'm giving you the chance to make it easier for everybody and work with us to stop him."

Angel turned and looked at her in disbelief. "I would never align myself with you." He spat. 

"Well, what choice do you have, Angel? You can sit back on your heels and pretend nothing is happening, and die. You can ignore me and try to rush in yourself, and lose your family, again, or you can drop the proud act and listen to me for once and we go away happy, and alive."  
  
"And you can make your way out the door and hope you never find your way back in here again. I have my ways to do things my way. I'm not stupid enough to do anything that leaves me owing you a favor. Now, if you're quite finished, get the hell out of here."

Carla bent and picked up her briefcase, losing her cool, and quickly. "Fine then, Angel. But be warned that this was your only chance, and in two weeks, when Rah'jah has killed your little fan club, remember it was your pride and stupidity that caused it."  


"I'll be sure to remember that pearl of wisdom. Go." Carla pushed her blonde hair behind her ears and walked out the door without another word. 

"Angel..." Talon said shakily, "What are we going to do?" 

Angel looked truly worried for the first time in a long time. "I don't know." He said honestly.

*****

"Ok, I've been talking to some of my people." Lorne said as he paced the floor. "The news isn't good. Angel, when Faith delivered the deadly blow, it wasn't do deadly after all."

"What do you mean?" Angel asked as he sat down on the sofa next to Talon. "Faith was a superb fighter. There isn't any reason she would have failed."

"She was a good fighter, yes, but her aim was off. See, Rah'jah is pretty much indestructible. Think of him as a modern day Achilles. And a scary one at that."

"What are you talking about?" David asked, "Get to the point."

"I mean," Lorne continued, shooting David a contemptuous look, "That you can't just stab him anywhere. That will just piss him off. You have to stab him directly in his back. In between the shoulder blades, where a specific marking is. A few years back, Rah'jah went to a few of his wizard friends. They put his powers there."

"Lorne, I saw his dead body. He was dead." 

"You saw his shell. His current body was destroyed, but his soul, and essence, remained. It takes him 10 years to build up a new body. I've been talking to people who remember him as far back as the 1100's. This guy is bad, Angel. Every time he comes back, he comes back worse."

"So we find him, and kill him the right way this time."

"If only it were that easy. Every time he comes back, he gets stronger, right? Well, the mark... the way to kill him... it's gone. Angel, we lost our chance ten years ago. We CAN'T kill him now."

*****

The phone rang shrilly at six in the morning. Faith swore as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Didn't anybody still have telephone etiquette? "Yeah?" She murmured into the phone, half asleep.

  
"Faith."

She smiled. 260 years old and he still didn't have any people skills. "It's six in the morning, Angel. What do you want?" 

"He's back." 

"What?"

"Rah'jah. He's back, Faith. I've already sent an airline ticket. The plane leaves tomorrow."

"Angel, he can't-"   
  
"See you in a few days."

Faith sighed. "Yeah." She muttered. "Few days."

*****

Talon wouldn't admit it, but she was excited. Of course, with the end of the world coming, she should not have been excited at all. But she was. She would finally meet Faith. One of the few people who knew Angel would be here tonight. Angel was excited too. She could tell. He tried to hide it and keep busy, but he was excited. As the hours passed, he became more and more antsy. Checking everything, making sure all was in place. 

When what felt like a year had passed, she heard the door in the lobby open. She and Angel were in the office when they heard her voice. 

  
"Angel?"

Angel stood up and walked towards the lobby, Talon close behind him.

"Faith." He said.

The pretty brunette turned towards his voice. Talon thought she definitely looked up to the "rouge slayer" role, though she was pretty in a rough and tough sort of way.

  
Faith smiled. "Well, long time no see. You haven't changed the place a bit."

Angel made his way to her and embraced her small body. "Of course I haven't. I've outlived my interior decorator." 

  
Faith returned the hug and looked around the lobby. She sighed deeply. "I didn't realize how much I missed L.A...." She trailed off. "Do I still have my room?" She added, as an afterthought. Angel reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. Faith took it with a smile. "No damage has been done, I hope?"

"The occasional ambush, but nothing too serious." 

Faith finally turned to the young girl beside Angel. "We haven't met." She said simply.  
  
Talon extended her hand. "Talon." She replied. Faith took it without hesitating.

"Faith." She turned back to Angel. "So... any ideas what why are going to do with Rah'jah?" 

Angel shook his head. "I've been speaking to Lorne about him. It doesn't look too good, but we will work something out. But for now, why don't you go upstairs and make yourself at home. David and Joseph are out getting some Chinese."

Faith nodded and made her way up the staircase.

"She isn't what I expected." Talon said once Faith had gone.   
  
"What did you expect?" Angel asked, turning towards the office.

Talon followed. "I don't know... a swearing, tough tomboy."  


Angel chuckled. "No. That Faith died a long time ago. She's still tough, no doubt. A regular bitch, to be honest. But she... I don't know. Grew up. She lost a lot of people in her time. Her watcher died, and she was outcasted from the Scoobies, and then when she finally found a home here... her family died too."

Talon nodded, trying to think of what that would be like. Her parents had died when she was young. Her guardian, her grandmother passed away a few years ago. But she was never close. Angel, David and Joseph were the only family she had now. She tried to imagine losing them, and for the first time, felt a fraction of what Angel, Lorne, and Faith had gone through.

*****

Lorne made his way nervously into the office. At least he had found something, right? Something was better than nothing. He finally found a way to kill Rah'jah. Only, it was risky... dangerous... they could not only die, but get slaughtered. Ruin the entire world as they knew it. And worse of all... maybe it was just too good to be true. In a horrible, sadistic way.

"Hey Lorne." David greeted warmly. "Egg roll?"

"No thanks, sugar." His eyes traveled to Faith, sitting cross legged on Angels desk. "Faith!" He said happily as she jumped from the desk and ran to hug him. "Well, how I've missed you, darling. I didn't know you would arrive so soon."   


Faith ran her fingers through her hair. "Well, Angel called me at six in the morning, demanding I take the first flight back." Her eyes traveled to the floor. "He's already explained to me about... him. And what happened."

Lorne looked to Angel. "Yeah." he said slowly, "About that. I've found something."

Angel's face seemed to brighten immediately. "Well, that's good, right? We have a chance."

Lorne nodded slowly. "Well, I should warn you, it's dangerous. If we don't save the world, we could ruin it. And actually, ruin everything we have come to known." 

Faith looked nervously from Angel to Lorne. Talon fidgeted in her seat. Suddenly, she felt like she was watching the team, as opposed to being part of it.

"Well," Lorne continued, "I was speaking to a client. She was pretty upset. Her husband had left her for a younger demon. Well, as I was trying to comfort her, she mentioned that she was going to take care what she should have years ago..."   
  
A confused look crossed Faith's face. "What's the point? It sounds like a woman scorned."  
  
Lorne pressed on, trying to find words to explain himself. "I thought she meant she was going to do now what she should have done then... but as we talked, she mentioned an artifact--something by the name of the Axis of Thasis. It's very valuable, very complicated, and up until an hour ago, I thought it was a myth. But it has been in her family for years."

Angel shook his head and shrugged. "Ok." He said, "What's the big deal about all this then?"

"Angel... the Axis... it controls time."

Angel stared at him, dumbstruck. "You mean..."

"We could go back!" Faith said, "We could go back and do it right this time." Faith turned to Angel. "We could save them. We could get them back and-"

Lorne interrupted. "It's dangerous. I don't know any of the properties. How it works. If we will go like this or show up in our old bodies? If we'll even make it to the time we want?"

Angel ran his fingers through his hair now. "But we have the chance. We could kill him. And save..." 

Lorne nodded. "I'm still looking into it, mind you, but so far things look good. There's just one, tiny problem..."

*****

"27,28,29.... 30. 30,000 dollars." Angel said as he counted the money into Lorne's hand. "For this much money, this better work."

"I think this will work." David said from a few feet away. "Me, Talon, and Joe have been researching nonstop since last night, and everything we've found has been good."

"Except that everything we have found has said it's a myth." Joseph interjected.

"Can't hurt to try." Faith said optimistically. 

"You're only saying that because you're not spending 30,000 dollars to get your hands on it." Angel grimaced. 

"Mrs. Duncan says it's been an heirloom for over 400 years." Lorne said as he placed the money in a bag, then put the bag in a briefcase. "She says we're lucky she's even selling it. If we hadn't of saved her from that Slutine demon we would be SOL." 

Faith put down the last candle. "Well. It's all ready. We're just waiting for the axis, now." Everyone looked around them. Faith had drawn an intricate design on the floor of the Hyperion lobby, and had placed 10 white candles around it. 

"What's that?" David asked, pointing to the design. Faith shrugged. "It's supposed to mean October... that's when it happened. The ten white candles represent each year. So we will go to October, Ten years ago."

"...And what happens if we don't?" 

"Then we come back."

"And how do we do that?"  


Faith pointed to the candles again. "These will be transported with us when we go. All we have to do is blow them out."

Angel made his way to the middle of the circle. Everyone took their places around him. He gave one more weary look around the hotel. "All right." He said, "Here goes."


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Once and Again

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Set in the future, Angel explains to his newest crew about his family, and the woman he loved.

She had come to expect the unexpected. 

Vampires. Sure. Demons. No problem. It was routine. By now, the only constant thing in her life was the complete spontaneity of it. 

  
But as Cordelia watched Angel, Faith, Lorne, and three other people fall from the sky--quite literally--she had come to a conclusion. 

She had lost it. (And considering Angel was behind her just seconds ago, her confusion was justified)

Fighting evil for years, and her time had finally come. 

"The drop was much steeper than I thought." Lorne grumbled as he stood up.   
  
"Guys?" Cordy asked hesitantly, "What's going on?"

Six pairs of eyes turned to her. Then she realized it. These people weren't HER people. That Angel wasn't the Angel she knew. Those eyes belonged to the dark, broody Angel, where her Angel had bright eyes. Goofy eyes. 

Finally, one of them spoke. "Well, long time no see, cupcake." Lorne said as he stood.

Faith climbed to her feet, and helped a young girl behind her. "Good to see you again, Cordelia." She said softly. Almost sadly. Next to her, Angel remained silent. Faith turned to him. "Well, Angel. Don't you have anything to say?" Her eyes turned back to Cordelia's. "After all. You've been waiting ten years."

*****

She was just feet from him. For the first time in years. And yet he couldn't think of anything to say. He sat with the rest of his newest crew on the soft sofa--he still owned this in the future--while Cordelia, Wesley, Gunn and Fred stared back at them.

"How do we know it's you?" Fred finally asked in a soft Texas twang. 

Faith ran her fingers through her hair. "We're here to help you stop Rah'jah." She explained. "In our time, we... didn't stop him. And now things are pretty bad where we are. He's back. And we can't kill him."

"What do you mean we didn't stop him?" Fred asked, looking a little crestfallen that the gang hadn't been able to save the world. 

Talon looked from face to face. Wesley looked a lot more rugged and handsome in person than in the pictures. Fred was adorable, and Cordelia was beautiful. She found it hard to believe that these people are supposed to die in a week. She reached over and grabbed Joseph's hand. Normally, he would have scoffed at her need to be coddled, but apparently, he felt he could overlook it today. Talon looked at Angel. He was still silent. She hoped he was ok. 

"So, we can't kill this Rah'jah guy in the future?" Cordelia asked Lorne. "Why should we trust you? If we really are that pressed for help in the future, why did you guys come alone?"

Lorne looked from Angel to Faith. All three faces seemed to hold the weight of the world. 

Finally, Angel spoke for the first time. He cleared his throat, then said softly, "It's complicated."

Wesley moved forward. "What happens with Rah'jah?" He asked, keeping his voice steady. 

"Faith..." Angel started, "Faith, uh, kills him. But we don't do it right. We have to kill him a specific way, or he comes back stronger. And he's come back where we are. And we can't kill him." It was silent for a long while. 

Finally, Gunn spoke. "Why don't me and Fred go and get something to eat? We can all finish this later, once the... shock has worn off." Wesley nodded.

"Ok." He said. 

Gunn and Fred made their way out the door, while Cordelia smiled weakly and walked up the stairs. Angel watched her go. He had wished he would be able to see her again. And now he had the chance, but he couldn't think of anything to say to her. But she just found out she was visiting with time travelers--what was there to say?

*****

Given the severity of the situation, Talon felt bad about smiling. She stood in the office of the Hyperion, and was amused at the lack of change. Everything in this past office was the same as the future. Almost. There were pictures on the desk. Some of them, Talon recognized from the box. Papers were piled everywhere, most of them in handwriting unlike Angel's. A purse lay on the floor by the door. Nail polish on the corner of the desk. And a N64 sat connected to the small office TV. Talon had to smile at that. Those things were considered so out of date where she came from.

"Hi." 

Talon jumped at the sound of the voice behind her. A slender woman stood in the doorway. 

"I'm Fred." She said and stuck out her hand. Talon took it, unsure. 

"Talon."

"I guess we didn't formally meet, huh? With all the confusion going on earlier..." Fred broke off. She didn't need to say anymore. "Well. Dinner's here." Fred smiled genuinely. "I hope it's not too out of date compared to what you're used to."

Talon smiled back. "Food is the only constant thing in the future." She said. 

"What's it like?"

"The future? Not unlike this time. I mean, sure there are some differences. Electronics are nicer and computers are faster, but we aren't all wearing silver jumpsuits." Talon smiled. "This hotel hasn't changed. It's the same home I know and love. There are a few things packed away... and a few new things, too. But overall, its the same. He's not big on change, is he?"  
  
"Can I ask you something?" Fred dropped her voice to a whisper. "Angel... is he like this? Back home?"

"Like what? Oh, you mean quiet and broody? Yeah. Yeah, pretty much. He enjoys his dark room far too often."

Fred clicked her tongue and led Talon into the lobby. "I thought Cordy broke him of that." She joked as she handed Talon a bag. "I guess we're just going to have to train him again."

*****

"Dinners here." 

Cordelia didn't turn at the sound of his voice. She felt a little bad about ignoring Angel, but she couldn't think of what else to do. She sat on his bed, in his room. Angel stood behind her, in the doorway. He had been there for a few minutes. Or maybe a few hours. Time seemed to have lost meaning. She felt the bed sink a little as he sat on the bed next to her. 

"It's hard to take, I know." 

  
Cordelia plastered a smile on her face. "What's hard to take? I'm just trying to imagine you in futuristic space boots."

Angel looked towards his hands. "I may not have heard your voice in a few years, Cordelia, but I can still tell when you're lying to me."

Cordelia sighed. "What's it like? I mean, not the future as in terms of cars and clothes... but you. How are we doing?" She asked.

Angel flinched at the word 'we' but tried to hide it. "Faith is an official part of the gang... she left a few years ago, though. Went to England. Talon, Joseph and David joined me a few years after she left." Cordelia kind of grimaced. It was hard for her to hear that there were other people.

"They seem nice." She said softly. 

"They really are."   
  
Cordy nodded. "Are you two close?"  


Angel stalled for words. "She... she is a close friend. I saved her a while back. I need her. And I think she needs me a little more than she likes to admit." 

Cordy nodded. "Oh." She said, softly. "Oh. Is it anything like Buffy?"

"What?" Angel asked, then smiled. "Oh. No. I don't need her like that. She's my Seer."

If Cordy thought it was hard hearing there were other people, it was nothing compared to hearing there was another Seer. "If she's your Seer, what about--"

Angel's bedroom door opened then, and Faith stood in the doorway. "Come on. Food's getting cold." She said. Angel looked at Cordy one more time, then back to Faith. 

Angel cleared his voice, then stood. "Yeah. We're coming." 

*****

Though this was her home in the future, Talon still felt out of place. Walking around the fourth floor, she felt like she didn't belong. Dinner had gone well, without mention of Rah'jah, they spent the meal comparing times. Gunn had asked about gaming systems, Fred was dying to know about computers, Wesley asked about prophecies, and even Cordy had a few things to ask about designers and Hollywood. 

After dinner, Joseph, David, and Gunn had gone to play video games, ("I've always wondered how ancient systems worked!" David had laughed) Wesley was in his office, and Lorne and Faith talked quietly in the lobby. Cordelia was upstairs, and Angel... well, he disappeared once the plates were cleared. 

As she made her way downstairs, Talon decided she would talk to him.   
  
But before she could think of what to say, the vision hit.

*****  
  
Angel had been in the courtyard when he heard Talon's scream. Though he had a lot on his mind, he pushed his thoughts away as he ran into the lobby, past the stunned faces of Wesley and Gunn, and up the stairs, Lorne close behind him. 

He found her on the ground, in front of the stairs leading to the fourth floor. She lay, grabbing her head in agony, writhing on the floor as if an electrical current was passing through her. Angel kneeled beside her. A moment later, she stopped, and sat up wearily. Lorne grabbed her shoulders to support her.   
  
"What'd you see, sweetpea?" Lorne asked gently. 

Wesley, Gunn, and Cordy ran up behind them in the next moment. 

  
"What's going on?" Gunn asked, looking ready to fight if need be. A second later, Joseph and Dave pushed their way through. 

Joseph hugged his sister, and Talon tried to calm down. "Demons are getting ready to ambush some nightclub downtown." Talon said. She closed her eyes, and Angel could see them moving behind her eyelids, searching the vision for more information. "Roseland Ave." 

"She's a Seer." Wesley said, more a statement than question. 

"I didn't see that." Cordelia said simply.   
  
"Well," Wesley said gently, "Technically, Talon is the current-"

"No. I don't mean I didn't see. I just had a vision. But I didn't see that. Three demons are going to sacrifice some teenagers. In the cemetery on Oak Drive. Did we get the same message, but just different versions?" 

"We better be safe. Check both places."

  
"Right." Angel said. "Joseph, get Faith, and tell her we're going on a mission. You, Faith, Fred and David go check out the nightclub. Wes, Gunn and Cordy can come with me to the cemetery." Angel looked down at Talon, still resting against Joseph. "Talon, stay here with Lorne and relax."   
  
Talon shook her head indignantly. "No way I'm sitting around here, just waiting. I'm coming with you." 

Angel smirked and shook his head no. Talon stood up, regardless.   
  
"Those demon jerks gave me this headache, I want to be there when they get their comeuppance."

Angel crossed his arms, but finally said, "Fine, but stay out of trouble." He turned to Wesley. "Alright, let's go."

*****

"Feeling better?"

  
Talon turned and saw Cordelia, stretching after a quick but bloody battle with some Setnah demons. 

"Yeah." Talon said, then tried to think of something else to add. "Much. Thanks."

Cordy smiled. "I tell you, I don't miss the post-vision headaches." She glanced around. "Hey, where's Angel?" Before Talon, could reply, she spotted him, standing on top of a soft hill, under a large willow tree. She started towards him, but Talon's arm reached out and grabbed her wrist. 

"Don't." She said softly. "Not now, anyways."  


Cordelia was ready to snatch her hand from the girl and ask her who she thought she was--but something in her voice stopped her. "Why not?" She asked Talon. 

Talon shook her head, and looked around for her brother. "Just... don't."

*****

Angel had felt her moments before she was actually there. "Hi, Cordy." He said softly.

Cordelia looked at him, then back to the gang, who had now begun to climb back into the AngelMobile. "We're leaving now." She said. "You've been standing here a while."

Angel nodded. "Ok." He said shakily. "I'm on my way."

"What's wrong?" Cordelia asked, looking at the place where he was staring.  


Angel shook his head and started to walk away. "Nothing." He said, "Let's go home."


End file.
